Little House on the Prairie: The Lord is My Shepherd (1974)

GREAT Show-Great DVD

Love everything on Little House...Great Moral Values! I have never gotten tired or watching Little House...over and over and over...great stories with good moral values. April 2, 2008

Laura's Lesson.....

This review refers to the Goodtimes DVD of "Little House on the Prairie - The Lord Is My Shepherd"....

Michael Landon always knew how to touch our hearts and inspire us with these wonderful tales of the Little House series. This one is definitive of the spirit of the stories and one that focuses on the importance of family and the love shared within.

In this vintage episode from 1974, the Ingalls learn they are expecting a new arrival. Pa's need for a son becomes obvious to everyone and when his hopes are fulfilled, he can hardly contain his joy.He devotes all his attention to the new baby boy,leaving Laura feeling jealous and neglected. The joy in the household soon turns to sadness as the baby falls ill and there is no hope for him. Laura can not even bring herself to pray for her brother's recovery, and when tradgedy strikes, she blames herself and runs away to be closer to God in hopes of a miracle. She is cared for by Johnathan, a stranger whose wisdom helps her see the light.

Melissa Gilbert(Laura) and Michael Landon(Pa), will tug at your heartstrings, as father and daughter realize how much they love each other. And Landon always seems to get just the right guest stars for the parts.The great Ernest Borgnine plays Johnathan, the reclusive mountain man with a heart of gold. It was written and directed by Landon and as always the music of David Rose adds greatly to the story.

Goodtimes does a good job in transfering these old television episodes to DVD. There are a couple of scenes that look a bit scratchy, but overall the view is as nice to watch as the story.The picture is clear and the colors are bright. The sound is in Dolby Digital2.0(Mono), and is very good. This double length episode(without all the commercials) may also be found in a four pack here, which includes, "The Priemere Movie","Laura Ingalls Wilder", also both double length, as well as "The Collection" a touching episode guest starring Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.

Share these touching and inspiring stories with a new generation.There are not to many programs around any more that the family can enjoy together.These stand the test of time.
Get the Kleenex ready and enjoy....Laurie September 2, 2003

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE-THE LORD IS MY SHEPARD

THIS IS THE 2 HOUR LITTLE HOUSE MOVIE ABOUT CHARLES AND CAROL
INGALS HAVING A BABY BOY.LAURA INGALS GETS JELOUSE BECAUSE SHE
THINKS HER PAW HAS FORGOTTON ABOUT HER AND WON'T PRAY FOR THE
BABY.THE BABY GETS SICK AND DIES AND LAURA RUNS AWAY BECAUSE
SHE FEELS GUILTY AND GOES UP ON JOHNATHON'S MOUNTAIN TO PRAY
FOR GOD TO TAKE HER AND BRING HER BROTHER BACK.THIS MOVIE IS
AS SAD NOW AS IT WAS DURING 1974 WHEN IT CAME OUT.IT IS NOW
ON DVD.THIS LOOKS BETTER NOW ON DVD THAN IT EVER DID ON VHS
OR TV.THERE IS SOME OCCASIONAL GRAIN THROUGH OUT THE SHOW BUT
IT IS ONLY OCCASIONAL.THIS IS A VERY BARE BONED DISC.ALL YOU
GET ON IT IS THE MOVIE AND SCENE SELECTION WITH CHAPTER STOPS.
THE SOUND IS MONO BUT STILL SOUNDS OK ON A TV SET.THIS IS A
SINGLE LAYER DVD AND IS 93 MINUTES LONG WITH NO COMMERCIALS.
I HIGHLEY RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE.IT IS A FOR THE FAMILY AND IS
A CLEAN MOVIE LIKE THEY USE TO MAKE.CLEAN FAMILY MOVIES ARE
HARD TO FIND IN THIS DAY AND TIME.I ALSO RECOMMEND LITTLE HOUSE
ON THE PRAIRIE REMEMBER ME FROM 1974 ALSO ON DVD. November 10, 2002

beautiful, beautiful, beautiful

If you see no other episode in the "Little House" series, see this one! As an avid Little House on the Prairie fan, this was one of the first shows I saw, and it has gone down as one of my very favorites for many reasons, a few including the superb acting, the strong morals, the love portrayed, and the power of forgiveness. The plot is simple enough while at the same time possessing emotional depth and complexity that makes it all the more beautiful. Little Laura Ingalls faces a very real dilemma when her mother has a baby who, in response to her father's obvious wishes, is a boy. Knowing how much her Pa wanted a son, Laura feels somewhat of a push to the back. She is used to being her Pa's special "half pint," and now that she is getting much less attention, she experiences jealousy that is so thick, she refuses to pray for her baby brother when he becomes very sick. The infant dies, leaving Laura swamped with overwhelming guilt that takes over her life until she runs to the mountains in search of an answer. With the sincere belief that her brother is dead because of her, she asks God to take her instead of the baby and sets her mind insistently on making it so. Something extremely hopeful and amazing brings a strange yet loving man into her midst. As he takes care of her on her journey, he gradually comes to help her face her tragedy and follow through with what she truly needs to do. It is an overall beautiful film that should not be missed. You will truly feel for Laura as she is brought to an emotional challenge in her young life, and Melissa Gilbert does a great job at bringing this historical heroine to life. She truly was an amazing child actor. Michael Landon delivers what I believe to be his most incredible, realistic, and emotionally charged performances as Laura's extremely loving Pa who learns just as much as she does from the whole experience in this story. Landon was an actor that I hope people remember for the rest of time, because as far as his acting and the qualities of his shows go, there's nothing that more inspiring or worthy of being modeled.
"Little House on the Prairie" is an excellent pick if you want something sweet, innocent, and comforting to watch. Just as it is an amazing show for adults to love for years to come, so is it for children. If you are a parent, I highly recommend that you introduce this series to your children because it was because of my mother that I discovered the magic and the wonder of these shows. You can't go wrong with them; no matter how much time passes, they will never get old because their quality and the uplifting messages of every single episode will always serve as an example and a comfort to society. The Ingalls family represents what family love should be all over the world, and although the entire series is praisworthy family material, "The Lord is My Shepherd" is a standout and truly a milestone in the show's overall success. October 27, 2002

"I know how I can make it right again."

In this classic two-hour episode, the Ingalls family eagerly awaits the arrival of a new addition! All is bliss (despite Harriet Oleson's ability to turn even a new baby into an opportunity to insult Caroline) until Dr. Baker notices that Charles Ingalls Junior, the long-awaited son, is not gaining weight. Ma asks the girls to say a special prayer for their brother, but a jealous Laura refuses. The baby's condition worsens and he eventually dies, leaving Laura with overwhelming feelings of guilt for her "mean thoughts." Convinced that she can make it right by giving her life to God in exchange for the infant's, Laura runs away to the mountains. As Charles and Isaiah Edwards search frantically for Laura, a mysterious old man named Jonathan (Ernest Borgnine) cares for her. The finale is heart-warming, if predictable, and vaults "The Lord is My Shepherd" to the rank of Classic Little House. August 24, 2001

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